Bluetooth Headsets - SCALA Q2

[erkishhorde]

With the few headset topics going on I guess I'll post up on what I've tried.

edit: Originally posted on August 21, 2008. This is a review of the OLD Scala Q2 that was NOT bluetooth 2.0.

So I bought this unit a while ago but haven't used it much at all since I bought it intending to use it to listen to tunes. It's got mono speakers but the sound is decent (when listening to the radio). Not sure how it is listening to tunes since I can't get it to connect to my mp3 player (Samsung S5). Now the product doesn't specifically say you can connect to all mp3 players. It actually says you can only connect to "some" gps units and then listen to tunes through them but I decided to try it any way.

I was very encouraged when my S5 could see the Q2 and connect but immediately after my S5 finishes registering the Q2, the Q2 drops out of pairing mode and the S5 says that it can't find the device.  After doing a bit of searching I found out that the Q2 is not compatible with A2DP bluetooth (stereo bluetooth).  I guess I could play tunes off my phone. My phone isn't really well suited for that though. I did get the Q2 to work with my phone just fine. *sigh* I should have returned it sooner, now it's too late. 

As for the speakers, they're nice and thin: the thinnest and smallest I've ever seen for a helmet headset. They're about the size of 2 quarters put back to back. Very convenient for helmets with shallow pockets.

The radio is... bleh. Reception is kinda quirky and it's nearly impossible to find a specific station. I highly suggest setting your radio stations while sitting next to a real radio so that you can tune to the station that Q2 is playing so you actually know what frequency you're on. Try jumping up and down a station a few times in a row and you might pick up 4 new stations. 

I had been comparing it to the Interphone when I was looking but decided on the Q2 instead. Anyone got an Interphone and wanna post up?

edit: I've run the Q2 to work the last  week. It's only a 10-15 minute ride.

Radio reception is still meh. It's nice to have some tunes w/o having to hassle with headphones though. It's also pretty good about automatically adjusting the volume based on road noise. Wind noise is another matter. As many know, the EXO 700 is one of the loudest helmets you'll ever wear. In the last week the wind noise has been loud enough that the only part of the radio I can make out is the radio guy's lisp. So it's like listening to roaring wind with someone going psst psst in your ear.

I've also used the phone on it a couple times. It didn't work as it said it would (answering the call just by talking) but if I push the button it will answer after about a second. W/o wind noise I can hear just fine although the volume is noticeably lower than the radio so I had to kick it up a few notches. With wind noise I couldn't hear squat... except for a slight lisp.  "S"s come in just fine. Everything else gets drowned out in high wind though. The other end can hear me just fine too. No ambient noises at all. Pretty much if you talk loud enough that you can hear yourself then that's the right volume to talk at. The only time they get wind noise is when I shoulder check for a lane change and the air rushes into the helmet from the bottom.

[tangueroHondo]

Bought the Interphone bluetooth a few days ago.  NewEgg - $109.  So far, so good.   My Blackberry is afraid of hurting my ears with excessive vloume, so I have to keep activating the audio boost.  But that's not the Interphone's fault.  I have the same issue with my bluetooth stereo phones. The voice quality through the helmetspeaker is very good.  Better than my Plantronics Explorer.  i am surprised that people I'm talking to can't even tell I'm on a moto.  They don't seem to pick up the wind or ambient racket at all.  I mounted it in my HJC FS-10 with no probs.  i used the clamp mount. 

I've read a variety of reviews about the unit.  Some favorable, some not.  We'll have to see.  It connects to my BBerry right on start-up with no fiddling  That's a big plus right there.

[tangueroHondo]

Just came across a chatterbox advert.  They claim stereo headset in addition to all of the Scala/BlueAnt features.   - FYI

[erkishhorde]

Cool, thanks for the update. I checked a few things on their website but it's hard to get actual info on the unit. I can't tell the size of the speakers or anything really. Also in the FAQ it says the average lifespan of their batteries is 1 year? You pay $400 for the unit and then have to buy a new battery every year? 

[DesmoDiva]

Thanks for the frank review.

Rogue and I have been looking at the SCALA Q2 to replace the cheap two-way radio set we have, which we can't hear each other above 30 mph.  I have no issuse with this, but it seems he wants to be able to talk to me all the time.   

Sounds like we should keep looking....

[erkishhorde]

Rogue and I have been looking at the SCALA Q2 to replace the cheap two-way radio set we have, which we can't hear each other above 30 mph. 

Normal riding w/o any wind I can hear fine up to 75-ish mph maybe even 80. It's the loudness of the EXO 700 that makes it impossible to hear. Still, I'm looking for something better still. 

[Slide Panda]

I've got a Scala rider, so the generation prior to the Q2.  It works remarkably well, a buddy was shocked to find out that I was on a highway doing 70-80 when I took his call.  He said the sound quality was excellent.

My radio experiences are similar to erkishhordes.  I tuned mine and did the presets while sitting by a proper radio.  Where I live there's just too many stations and repeaters to try and scan without aim.

I have found I *need* to wear earplugs with it.  If I try to use the radio w/o plugs even the lowest volume setting is too loud at anytime the bike is moving.  With plugs the volume adjustment for the ambient noise is just right... but w/o it's just too damn loud.